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VA Announces Data Breach Analysis Contract

The Department of Veterans Affairs hires ID Analytics to determine if any stolen laptop data was compromised.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is hiring ID Analytics to perform data breach analysis to ensure that information on 26.5 million veterans contained on a stolen laptop was not compromised. The laptop has since been recovered. According to a release from the VA, ID Analytics will look for patterns of misuse and suspicious activity related to the theft.

"Data breach analysis will provide VA with additional assurances that veterans personal information remains unharmed," Secretary R. James Nicholson said in a statement.

Before two men were charged with the theft on Aug. 5, the agency had promised that it would exercise an abundance of caution and perform data breach analysis to make sure veterans information was safeguarded.

According to the release, hiring ID Analytics fulfills that promise. ID Analytics offers a real-time tracking system that is widely used by retail and credit card issuers, along with wireless companies and finance companies.

"VA remains unwavering in its resolve to become the leader in protecting personal information, training and educating our employees in best practices, and establishing a culture that always puts the safekeeping of veterans personal information first," Nicholson said in the statement.

Spokesperson Matthew Burns said the VA would be sending a letter to veterans this week explaining the situation regarding another computer theft, that of a computer stolen the week of July 31 from Unisys, a contractor for the VA.

Burns said the VA will also send out a letter to affected veterans telling them how to sign up for a credit monitoring service to be provided by Unisys. Burns said some details remain to be worked out, but said both letters would go out in the next day or two.

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